Resumes for Finance Professionals

What Should Resumes for Finance Professionals Include?

First, let’s talk about the type of financial professional you are, or hope to be. Careers in finance range from accountant, financial analyst, finance manager, stockbroker (usually referred to as a financial advisor), insurance agent, retail banking and investment banking; more advanced careerists might be CFOs or CPAs. Regardless of your specialty, your resume must showcase your key competencies, as well as emphasize significant certifications, such as noting that you passed your CPA exam or have earned your FINRA / SEC licenses, such as a series 7 or series 63. Consider your area of specialization such as cost accounting, financial analysis or tax preparation, as a significant aspect of your professional brand.

As is the case in every profession, quantify your achievements wherever possible. Finance managers or accountants may be able to refer to a time they successfully managed risk, or reduced corporate taxes. Investment bankers can boast about the companies they brought public, or the mergers they presided over. Financial advisors can talk about the success of their clients’ portfolios.

However, finance is one sector where licenses and certifications are dominant, so you want to mention all the relevant ones; if you spot a job description for a role you’re interested in, check to see if you need to register for a license you don’t currently have, so that you can honestly state an anticipated date for its completion on your resume.